Two Hertfordshire amateur riders have qualified for the 2014 Horse of the Year Show at the Birmingham NEC in October

Sales manager Natalie Bird, 26, from Hitchin was first in the Riding Horse Hack class with her horse Vishnu at the South Essex Insurance Brokers Search for a Star 2014 qualifier, while Emmy Parkhouse, 10, from Waterford took second place in the Show Pony class.

Emmy is at school at St Josephs’ Hertford and started her exams the day after the Search for a Star qualifier. She described her success as ‘amazing’ and added, ‘I can’t wait to go to Horse of the Year. There is so much to learn, but my horse, Gwithian Geraint – known as Jago – is just perfect.’